After a spate of deaths in Marin and other Bay Area communities involving people trying to save their pets from coastal waters, authorities warned dog owners Friday about the perils of such rescue efforts.

Five people have drowned since November as they tried to retrieve their pets swept up by rogue waves on beaches.

In Marin on New Year's Day, Charles Francis Quaid, 59, of Richmond, died after attempting to rescue his wife and dog, who were overtaken by a sneaker wave at Point Reyes. Others on the beach were able to help his wife and dog to safety.

"It only takes 6 inches of moving water to knock over a full grown, able-bodied adult," said Alexandra Picavet, National Park Service spokeswoman for the Golden Gate National Recreation Area, who joined the U.S. Coast Guard and the SPCA in a news conference to spread public awareness about water safety for pets and their owners.

Allison Lindquist, executive director of the East Bay SPCA, said even though it goes against the nature of most pet owners it is best not to go after a dog.

"Dogs are naturally better swimmers because of their horizontal body mass," Lindquist said. "They are built better for riding out the current."

These rogue or so-called "sneaker" waves have claimed lives in three separate incidents this winter. In each, the dog survived.

Last Sunday, Susan Kay Archer, 32, of Shelter Cove, was walking on Little Black Sand Beach with her boyfriend when she was swept out to sea with her dog. The dog made it back to shore; search-and-rescue teams recovered Archer's body after 45 minutes.

In November, a powerful surf swept a family dog out to sea at Big Lagoon Beach near Arcata in Humboldt County. The teenage son swam out to save the pet. When the child's mother and father noticed him struggling, they swam out to save him. All three died. The dog made it back to shore.

Lindquist said the best thing to do is to follow the dog parallel to the shoreline and call its name.

"Just let the dog do its thing," Lindquist said. "When the current subsides, the dog will swim back."

Onlookers should call 911 immediately if people in the water need help.

Gabe Pulliam, a 13-year veteran of the Coast Guard and rescue swimmer, said lately there have been more recovery than rescue efforts. Most rescues attempted by bystanders fail because they lack the equipment and training.

Even though Coast Guard rescue swimmers are equipped with a dry suit and scuba gear, they still have to battle frigid waters that can take a victim's breath away, which often causes them to panic and take in water.

"People who walk their dogs on the beach and notice strong surf should stay above the line where the water laps up," Pulliam said. "It's fun to watch the waves roll in, but respect the ocean and never turn your back on it."